Wednesday, June 29, 2011

A few weeks ago, I found myself in the midst of another evening where I had to use what I had in my pantry and fridge to whip up some dinner. I had a roma tomato, ricotta cheese, pepperoni, and a whole bunch of spices, plus some chicken and, of course, a drawer full of little bamboo skewers. Stuffed chicken breasts seemed the way to go.

I combined a few slices of pepperoni (chopped up pretty small) with the ricotta and spices (I think I used oregano, parsley, and basil). Then pounded 2 chicken breasts until they were super thin, then rolled them up with the ricotta mixture inside, as well as some tomato slices.

Rolled up, skewered, and grilled, these were absolutely tasty. The BF, of course, required some sauce, so he ended up throwing some store-bought marinara on top of his. I thought the ricotta made it creamy enough that no sauce was required!

Not the prettiest picture, but you get the idea.

I'm feeling like incorporating a little green into my wardrobe would be a good idea.

Friday, June 24, 2011

This, of course, isn't the first time that I've posted a dish after looking at the pictures going "I know what it is . . . but when did I make it and where did I get the recipe?!" And I certainly realize isn't doesn't do you much good, peeps, to have pictures of food without the recipes to recreate said food yourself.

But today, not good enough is just going to have to be good enough, because I have NO idea where this came from! I can tell you this, it involved butter, red onions, and rosemary. Helpful? Didn't think so.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

This recipe caught my eye some time back, largely because of the accompanying picture of the dish (as an aside, cookbooks MUST have pictures, don't you think? I'm pretty sure I picked this cookbook-photo obsession up from my mother [HI MOM!] but it makes recipes look so much more appealing, even if they seem difficult at the outset [which this recipe is not, so don't fear]).

Picture or not, this casserole is awesome. And it's only 250 calories per serving. I was thinking, the other day, that with all the talk of the weekday (which I just typed as "weakday" . . . that's a slip if ever there was one) diet, my readers who don't know me may think that the BF and I look like supermodels.

We don't. I won't scar you with pictures, but suffice it to say that with weekends spent stuffing our faces with tasty treats like this, this, and this, the weekday diet doesn't always serve its purpose.

I'm going to go astray from my typical shoe post today because of one reason and one reason only: my BFF/"brother" and his wife are having a baby this year, and so is the BF's BFF. I have spent many free hours perusing the internet for the perfect baby gift.

Monday, June 20, 2011

I realize that my opinion on topics outside of cooking (in heels!) may not interest any of you (or that my opinion on cooking really interests you that much, for that matter) but I feel the need to share nonetheless. So here's another random factoid: I am not a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow. She had me at Shakespeare in Love. She lost me when she appeared on Glee: Season Two. (I know some people loved her guest appearance . . . I didn't and stopped watching the show shortly thereafter, but I digress).

Anyway, when Gwyneth showed up in Vogue, interviewed by Jeffrey Steingarten (my personal hero who, after being a lawyer for many years, left the profession because of his love of food. He is truly a man after my own heart) about her upcoming cookbook, I thought maybe, maybe, I would be willing to try a recipe. Maybe.

Then she showed up in Food & Wine, and on the cover of Bon Appetit, and I could no longer resist the urge. I had to try this fried-zucchini spaghetti. And peeps, I am SO glad I did.

Who knew that zucchini, pan-fried in olive oil, could be so sweet and delicious? Not I. Who knew that Gwyneth, mother of a daughter named after food, could actually cook good food and write delicious recipes? Definitely not I. I am happy to admit when I am wrong, and I was definitely wrong in my assumptions about Gwyneth's cooking. And for that, I apologize (because I'm sure she cares).

Perhaps I could offer Gwyneth an apology, in person, while wearing these:

Should you pick up the cookbook and try the recipe, know that I cut the recipe in half (since I was just cooking for the BF and I) and then added an extra green onion, an extra chipotle pepper, and 1/4 cup of salsa to the dressing to make it extra special.

I never, in a million years, would have expected something so delicious to be cooked in the microwave. Convenience? Check. Great taste? Check. Low calorie? Check! A new favorite? Checkity Check check!!!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Never has a dish (recipe found here) elicited so many questions from the BF. What is it? How do I eat it? What's in it? There's eggs in here? There's no meat? WHAT did you say it's called?!

Strata. You cut it and chew it. There's all kinds of stuff in here. Yes, eggs. No, there's no meat. IT'S CALLED A STRATA!

And it is delicious. There's really not much more to say about it. I have decided that because of its tastiness AND how fancy it looks, this dish is going to be filed away in my "things to bake to impress company" recipe stash.

The top layer of bread was so nice and crispy, the vegetables underneath were tender, and it only has 297 calories per serving! AMAZING! And it would taste great with scrambled eggs and a mimosa. But, then again, what doesn't go well with a mimosa?

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

I have been known to re-make dishes in a way that suits my mood (seen here) and this dish is no exception, being a Mexican-inspired version of other baked pasta dishes I've made in the past.

(I have REALLY got to get a better camera.) Anyway, I browned 1/2 pound of ground beef with one medium yellow onion, white pepper, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, and salt, then added 1/2 can of black beans, 1 can of rotel tomatoes with habaneros, and 1/4 cup of salsa. While that was simmering away, I boiled 4 servings of extra-wide egg noodles according to the package directions.

I combined the beef and bean mixture with the egg noodles, topped it all with reduced fat Mexican blend cheese, and popped it in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Again, I apologize for the poor picture quality. Eventually I will solve this problem. This dish is super easy and has a nice kick to it. If you don't like spicy, substitute the habanero rotel for the regular and leave out the spices.

Friday, June 3, 2011

I hope everybody had a swell short-week, and is ready to start the weekend (I know I am)! This quickie Friday I bring you one of my favorite foods, MUSHROOMS. The BF may hate them, but I enjoy them as a side dish as often as I can.

I saute approximately one cup of mushrooms in a tablespoon of olive oil until the mushrooms just start to get tender, then I throw in a couple of tablespoons (each) of madeira and pinot noir and let it simmer. Season with salt and pepper and you have a tasty, easy side dish for the mushroom lovers in your life!